Update on Windows 11 minimum system requirements & PC Health Check app

 Two updates are provided in today's blog article. First, a revision to the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 that takes into account comments from the Windows Insider community.

Next, details about the new PC Health Check app, which is currently accessible to Windows Insiders.

Also Read:  aka.ms/yourpc

Since the release of Windows 11, the Windows Insider community, as well as our supporters, clients, and partners, have provided us with insightful input.

We appreciate your participation in the launch of Windows 11, which comes at a time when computers play an increasingly significant role in how we connect, work, study, create, and play.

In June, in response to your inquiries, we published further details on the guiding principles that served as our guidance in establishing the Windows 11 minimum system requirements.

And as a team, we agreed to investigate whether there were devices using AMD Zen 1 and Intel 7th Generation CPUs that adhered to our criteria through Windows Insider testing and OEM collaboration.

The minimal system requirements will remain the same, with the exception of a few modifications to the compatible processor list that are being made in response to the results of our testing (described in more detail below).

We have come to the conclusion that the suitable 64-bit CPUs chosen, the 4GB of memory, the 64GB of storage, the UEFI secure boot.

the required graphics, and TPM 2.0 are the proper minimal system requirements to deliver on the guidelines we created to best help you.

Although we did not originally include them in our minimum system requirements, we did find a number of PC models that comply with the principles and operate on Intel 7th Gen CPUs.

Based on those discoveries, we have added the following CPUs to the list of 64-bit processors that are compatible:

• Xeon® W-series and Intel® CoreTM X-series
• Intel® CoreTM 7820HQ (only some devices, such as Surface Studio 2, that came with contemporary drivers built on Declarative, Componentized, Hardware Support Apps (DCH) design concepts)

Together, we came to the conclusion that there are no new additions to the supported CPU list after thoroughly examining the first generation of AMD Zen CPUs in collaboration with AMD.

Before the utility is made generally accessible, we will update the PC Health Check program to correctly detect the computers with the newly included Intel CPUs.

As Windows 11's public release later this year approaches, we will have additional information to offer about the tools and reports IT professionals can use to comprehend the hardware eligibility of their business at scale.

Below, we provide further information on the guiding concepts that helped us determine the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.

Here are some conclusions drawn from the information we acquired over the past few months that supported our choice.

• Reliability: Kernel mode crashes increased by 52% on devices that didn't satisfy the minimal system requirements. The percentage of devices without crashes was 99.8% for those that do fulfill the minimal system requirements.
• Security: To address the rising number of cyberattacks, Windows 11 improves the security default setting, raising the bar for Windows security. These specifications were developed using information from the NSA, the UK National Cyber Security Center, and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in addition to the threat data gathered from billions of signals by Microsoft. Below are further facts on the history and significance of the Windows 11 baseline.
• Compatibility: People are using their PCs for video conferencing, work, and gaming at an increasing rate. We designed the minimal system requirements to correspond with some of the most widely used apps in order to guarantee that all Windows 11 devices can run a core collection of programs to fulfill those demands.

After making our announcement in June, we realized that the PC Health Check app presented an opportunity to improve precision and clarity.

We are today making available to Windows Insiders an upgraded preview version of the PC Health Check app.

The screenshot below demonstrates how this enhanced version enhances the capability of the eligibility check with more thorough and improved messages on eligibility and links to pertinent support articles that include suggested remedial actions.

We intend to re-release the PC Health Check app for general availability in the upcoming weeks after a feedback session with Windows Insiders and with the additional upgrades for the recently added chips. Versions that support 64-bit Windows, 32-bit Windows.

Windows on Arm, and Windows 10 in S mode PCs are also being simultaneously released to Windows Insiders today. By navigating to Comments Hub > Apps > PC Health Check, Windows Insiders may offer feedback on the PC Health Check app.

As seen by the historically high number of Windows Insiders, the majority of users with qualifying devices will decide to upgrade to Windows 11 in order to take advantage of all the new breakthroughs in connectivity, productivity, creativity, and play that it has to offer.

Windows 10 is the best option for people who are using a PC that won't update and who aren't ready to switch to a new computer. We recently announced that the upcoming feature upgrade for Windows 10 will arrive later this year.

We will support Windows 10 through October 14, 2025. Regardless matter what you choose, we are dedicated to helping you and giving you options for your computing adventure. Visit this page to get the complete list of system requirements for Windows 11.

Here is some additional detail on the principles that guided Windows 11 minimum system requirements:

• Reliability. Support from OEM and IHV drivers has a strong correlation with dependability over time. The CPUs supported by Windows 11 utilize contemporary (DCH) drivers and are supported by OEM and IHV. The transition to contemporary drivers makes it possible for drivers and related software to be installed and maintained in concert through Windows Update and offers better tools for monitoring driver health. This collaboration ensures that system drivers are correctly set up and operational following upgrades, resulting in a dependable experience while upgrading to Windows 11. The number of kernel mode crashes (blue screens) from Windows Insider computers that did not match the minimum system requirements was 52% higher than that of those that did. The 99.8% crash-free experience offered by machines that complied with the standards is successfully handled by OEMs and IHVs using contemporary driver update management. In addition, app hangs are 17% more probable on incompatible hardware, while first-party applications experience 43% more crashes.
• Security: Windows 11 now has the highest security standard in the history of Windows. In order to design a security baseline in Windows 11, which addresses growing threats that software alone cannot address, we used the more than 8.2 trillion signals from Microsoft's threat intelligence, reverse engineering on attacks, and input from leading experts like the NSA, UK National Cyber Security Center, and Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Based on a research of the most effective defenses, we carefully developed the hardware specifications and default security measures. Based on the Microsoft data set of prevented attacks in 2020, which comprised 30 billion email threats, 6 billion endpoint device threats, and 30 billion authentications, this study was conducted. Along with utilizing these intelligence sources, Windows 11 offers industry-standard security safeguards based on suggestions from international experts like the NSA and NCSC.
• Windows 11 is a real passwordless operating system thanks to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) requirement, which prevents phishing and other password-based assaults that are simpler for attackers to carry out when the TPM is absent. Microsoft found 67% fewer compromises of firms that removed traditional authentication and switched to Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)- or Passwordless-based solutions like Windows Hello in the FY20 Microsoft digital defense report. With Hello, the TPM collaborates with a PIN or biometric camera/fingerprint scanner to securely store a secret that, during authentication, takes the place of a user's password and is far more difficult to steal or forge. Other Windows 11 technologies that make use of the TPM include Bitlocker and Device Encryption, which uses it to store disk encryption keys. According to Forrester research, 20% of breaches reported by global security decision-makers in 2020 involved the loss or theft of assets like cellphones and computers. Windows 11's Bitlocker whole disk encryption reduces the likelihood that confidential information may be lost or stolen from machines. Additionally, the TPM is used to "bind" web-based credentials safely to a device, avoiding the extraction and theft of the many credential types found in previous breaches. Because of the security benefits it offers, including support for more recent and powerful cryptographic algorithms, Windows 11 needs TPM 2.0 as opposed to 1.2.
• A system can only boot with code that is either signed by the manufacturer of the hardware, the supplier of the silicon, or Microsoft thanks to the UEFI Secure Boot requirement. This is accomplished by making sure all code is signed by recognized parties and by storing cryptographic hashes in hardware that can be transferred to the cloud for integrity verification. It is possible to totally weaken all kernel, user, and endpoint security mechanisms if a system can be hacked before the operating system boots. The "NotPetya" assault, which caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, used an outdated bios to inject ransomware malware before booting, however Secure Boot can now counteract this. The U.S. National Security Agency has also endorsed Secure Boot's benefits and best practices. Since June 26, 2013, we have mandated that OEMs ship their products with UEFI Secure Boot enabled, and we want all Windows 11 devices to be able to offer that consumer advantage.
• The supported processors improve security capabilities at the chip level in addition to dependability. These CPUs offer virtualization performance enhancements and extensions. Memory integrity, also known as hypervisor-protected code integrity, is one of the security features enabled by virtualization-based security (VBS), which is supported by Windows 11. (HVCI). HVCI prevents the Windows kernel from executing dynamic code. Additionally, HVCI offers driver management and makes sure all drivers loaded adhere to a set of permitted drivers that has been established by Microsoft and the user. As the foundation for System Guard Runtime attestation, a zero-trust capability that offers tamper-proof hardware-based health statements to the cloud as part of a chip-to-cloud zero trust approach, VBS also enables credential protection for common enterprise credential types (such as NTLM), an attack technique seen in "pass-the-hash" style attacks. The Windows 10 operating system must include virtualization-based security for devices used by the US Department of Defense (DoD). Although we do not mandate VBS for Windows 11 upgrades, we think the security advantages it provides are so crucial that we wanted the minimal system requirements to guarantee that any PC running Windows 11 can provide the same level of security the DoD relies on. Over the course of the upcoming year, we will enable VBS and HVCI on the majority of new PCs in collaboration with our OEM and silicon partners. And we'll be looking for chances to spread VBS across new platforms in the future.
• Compatibility. We are steadfastly committed to compatibility with Windows 11. As a result, devices may update to Windows 11, and essential software and hardware will function as intended. By increasing the Windows 11 minimum system requirements, we can provide improved support for drivers, devices, and software for apps and hardware. Feedback demonstrates that older drivers that are incompatible with new OS features like VBS are more likely to be present on unsupported hardware. Modern drivers are also included with supported hardware, which helps to guarantee both the high level of device compatibility and the dependability we discussed previously. The updated minimum system requirements also provide a new baseline that is in line with the hardware requirements of many of the most widely used apps that consumers use today for teleconferencing, browsing, productivity, and entertainment. We advise individuals who are buying new PCs to check the needs with the maker of the exact goods they will be using since some features, applications, games, and peripherals may have their own requirements that go above our minimal system requirements.

Windows 11 TPM Requirements

Run the TPM.msc command to verify the TPM version for a free Windows 11 upgrade if your TPM version is less than 2.0.

You might have to wait for a vendor firmware update if TPM 2.0 is absent from your PC. I own a Surface Book, and it appears that Microsoft won't make the TPM 2.0 upgrade available for it.